‘Tis the season to deck your halls, walls, and doors with artfully textured accents and decor. Floral designer Katie Chirgotis of Eothen shows us three crafty ways to bring the beauty of the season into any space with earthy and organic foraged wreaths.
Floral Ingredients
Scout evergreens, changing leaves, shrubs, and found objects like feathers, stones, pinecones, and more, that you’d like to weave into your wreath.
Supplies
26-gauge paddle wire
28-gauge straight wire
Wire cutters
Stem cutters
Base frame
*Note: your base frame dictates your wreath’s overall look. A double or quadruple wire frame, such as the blue-green piece seen below, will support a lush, full design. A single wire frame, such as the pampas grass piece, will be more minimal. Incorporating the texture of a dried vine base (like grapevine or honeysuckle), makes for the most organic and natural composition as seen in the rose hip wreath.
Step 1: Create packets of your ingredients. There’s no right way to do it. Just layer a mix of three or four ingredients in your hand, trim the stems, and start your wiring by wrapping paddle wire around the cut end of the packet a few times. Repeat until you have enough packets to cover your base.
Step 2: Layering. I’m right-handed, so I begin by layering from the upper left of the frame. Lay and hold the first packet against the frame using your left hand. Using your right hand, wrap your paddle wire, (currently connected to your first packet), behind and around the frame three times – making sure you’re keeping the wire taut as you go. Do not cut the wire!
Place the next packet in position so the top of packet #2 covers the bottom of packet #1. Continue layering and wrapping with your wire, moving your way down and around the frame as you go. Remember, you should be using the same piece of wire for the entire base.
Step Three: When you’ve completed your base layer, give yourself at least six inches extra length of paddle wire before snipping. Finish your wiring by wrapping and tucking until the end is secure and hidden.
Step Four: You can now tuck in gestural wisps (leaves, branches, seedpods) to add movement into your base layer by nestling them into the wire wrapping or thicker greenery. You can further secure these pieces by threading in straight wire, twisting and tucking the ends into the back of your wreath.
Step Five: Hang your wreath, step back, and enjoy!
Off the Wall Advice: “The best way to bring the season to your door is to literally step outside of it and harvest what’s right there. Even if you live on a city street, there’s bound to be a tree or hardy shrub you can cut from. Evergreen or leaves with a waxy sheen will last for weeks on your door. Look for branches with natural curves, and don’t hold yourself to perfect circles, (boring!).”
As seen in Flutter Magazine, Issue No. 8
Photography: Leo Patrone | Floral Design: Katie Chirgotis | Styling: Kelly Oshiro
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